Recent Updates

And then there were none. The last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders died today at the age of 103. Retired Lt. Col. Richard E “Dick” Cole was Jimmy Doolittle’s copilot in the lead bomber during the 1942 raid on Tokyo. He was there by chance, as Doolittle’s original copilot became ill before the mission […]

Boeing released sales data for the 737 MAX line that reveal there were no new orders for the troubled jet in March, and simultaneously said that deliveries and orders for all 737 models fell in the first quarter. Overall orders were down by nearly half, to 95 from 180 in the first quarter of 2018. […]

Last month, Superior grounded the XP-400 and XP-382 Experimental-class engines after crankshaft breakages were believed to be set off by detonation. Approximately 150 engines were affected. At the time, the company asked those already flying the engine to immediately ground the aircraft and for those still in construction to return the engines. Superior is refunding […]

Terrafugia has named Chao Jing as its new CEO, replacing co-founder Carl Dietrich. Described as “a professional business leader with extensive experience working in international companies,” Jing will help drive Terrafugia toward its first deliveries this summer. According to the company, the new CEO will also have a fresh CFO, Huaibing Wang, who has “over […]

The just-wrapped Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In and Expo will have a new name in 2020 that better reflects the event’s mission. From 2020 on it will be the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo. “Renaming this iconic aviation event reflects our mission to engage, educate and accelerate the next generation of aerospace professionals,” said CEO John […]

Ehang flew its autonomous octocopter with two passengers for the first time in public in Austria on Saturday and the company said the aircraft is now ready for mass production. The Ehang 216 hovered briefly in a soccer stadium Apr. 4 in Vienna with a small contingent of press in attendance. “This is not a […]

One of Scaled Composites’ (formerly) most secretive projects was on full display at a Kentucky FBO over the weekend, on its way to NAS Paxutent River from Mojave. The stealthy model 401, one of two that are flying, stopped for fuel at Bowling Green in the middle of a clear day and the pilot wasn’t […]

Boeing said Friday that it will reduce the production rate on the 737 MAX by 10 airplanes a month, from 52 to 42 by mid-April. The company said it has also appointed a special board committee to review the development of new aircraft. “We’re adjusting the 737 production system temporarily to accommodate the pause in […]

April Fools’ Arrest I just read your article “AVweb Editor Arrested” with horror; I just really couldn’t believe what I was reading. I mean, it’s so outlandish that it reads like it should be a complete joke. I mean, this can’t be real. It just can’t. There’s no way that… … wait … What’s the […]

A few months ago, we heard this on Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Approach as we were flying through the area: Controller: “Cessna 123, traffic three o’clock, two miles.” Cessna 123: “Looking.” After a couple of minutes the controller came back with: “Cessna 123, disregard traffic advisory; that was a truck.” As I’m doubled over in laughter, the […]